What happened
During a return flight to Gizhiga Airport following the completion of a geophysical survey, an aircraft struck a mountainside. While navigating through a restricted valley, the pilot encountered diminishing visibility caused by encroaching cloud cover. In an attempt to reverse course, the pilot initiated a right-hand turn at an altitude of approximately 460 meters. During this maneuver, the aircraft collided with terrain, resulting in a post-impact fire that destroyed the plane.
The accident resulted in four fatalities and one injury. The radio navigator survived the impact with minor injuries, but the remaining three crew members were killed.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified several critical contributing factors. The pilot lacked sufficient experience with this specific aircraft type, having completed only 50 flight hours on the model prior to the incident. Furthermore, the crew had been performing duties for 11 hours, significantly exceeding the six-hour maximum duty limit established for such survey missions. Additionally, if the accident occurred at 21:15 local time, the flight was being conducted in darkness, as sunset in the region had occurred earlier that evening.